1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cable connector for connecting an RF module with an antenna in the internal components of electronic equipment, and also relates to an antenna component in which the cable connector is connected with the antenna. More particularly, the present invention relates to a cable connector and an antenna component which eliminate complicated steps of assembling a connector with a transmission line, which are capable of reducing assembly steps in number and a manufacturing cost more than the conventional cable connectors and antenna components, and which are capable of making a connector connection portion thinner.
2. Description of the Related Art
In conventional RF connectors (small-size coaxial connectors), electrically connecting a coaxial cable with an RF module in a method as shown, for example, in FIG. 11A to FIG. 13 is dominant (for example, see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2001-307842 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2006-318936). In this method, a coaxial cable 141 is first stripped as shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B to expose an internal conductor 142 and an external conductor 143. Next, as shown in FIG. 11D, the internal conductor 142 of the coaxial cable 141 is soldered to a contact terminal 140 as shown in FIG. 11C. Next, as shown in FIG. 12A, a housing 122 is assembled into a shell terminal 121 to fabricate an assembly 120. Next, as shown in FIG. 12B, into the assembly 120, the coaxial cable 141 soldered to the contact terminal 140 is assembled. Next, as shown in FIGS. 12C and 12D, the external conductor 143 of the coaxial cable 141 is caulked into the shell terminal 121, and also an outer cladding 144 of the coaxial cable 141 is caulked into the shell terminal 121. The assembly 120 connected with the coaxial cable 141 is attached to an RF module 130 as shown in FIG. 13, to thereby electrically connect the coaxial cable 141 with the RF module 130.
However, in the case where a conventional RF connector is used, the number of assembly steps is large as shown in FIGS. 11A to 12D. In addition, the assembly requires a sophisticated skill.
Furthermore, because the coaxial cable has a large diameter, it is difficult to make thin (low-profile) the connection portion (the connector connection portion) between the coaxial cable and the RF connector (that is, make thin the assembly 120 shown in FIG. 12D).
Furthermore, with numerous steps for assembling the RF connector with the coaxial cable, their manufacturing cost becomes high.
The present invention has been achieved in view of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide a cable connector and an antenna component with a reduced number of assembly steps and a reduced manufacturing cost, and also capable of making the connector connection portion thin.